The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1887-02-18
A RICE PLANTATION.

No faircr prospect exists in the whole
realm of agriculture than the landscape
of well-appointed rice plantation,
whether viewed in early spring before
planting, with tho tawny seams of its
cmpankmcnts intersecting tho checker
ed squares. the yellow mold yet steam-
ing from the pillow, and the whole visi-
BILE area apparently as clearly swept
and garnishcd us a parlor floor; or later,
during the nursery reign of the foster
ing ''stretch water" each square lake,
its wayelets ripping under the fresh sea
breeze, with the tops of the young plants
immersed for forcing, in long, waving
line OF tendrlls floating on tho water,
and the russell banks. separating lake
from lake, now paths of emerald, their
grassy carpet blowing in the April sun;
or later still, during the ''long water"
the entire landscape one waving sea of
green, broken only by the crystal rib
bons OF canals and quarter drains; or,
finally. in the full noontide of harvest
time. the level fields, now lakes no
moro, but vast stretches of stubble dot
ted with stacks of golden grain, rs if an
army tented there.
The wheat lands of Dakota are i'm
pressive. but their unbroken, unrelieved
monotony is almost painful. The vine
clad hills OF the upper Ohio are novel
and interesting; the velvety slopes of
the valley of the Roanoke and Ken
tucky's blue grass meadows pretty and
attractive; but study of the rice fields
OF the Atlantic deltas is simply fasci-
mating
In other agricultural pursuits mans
efforts arc the sport of the elements, and
largely dependent upon the caprice of
nature. In this man works with God,
in the very shadow of His presence,
with intelligence and judgment regulat-
ing the hayward freaks of nature. graft
ing chemical affinity and physical force,
and directing both to an end. reason
ably certain if properly compassed.
The high plane of thought necessarily
travcrsed by the planter pursuing this
avocation from generation to genera
ton naturally induced broader intel
ligcnce, greater elevation of mind. SUI
pcrior refinement. and more universal
and thorough cosmopolitansm than has
ever been attained either before or since
in any other kindred employment
Yet this incidental superintendent
was far removed from efileminacy Dur
ing the late war, whenever 4 caisson
stuck fast in the mud, the first volunteer
shoulder under the wheel was that of
the young ricc-planter, who u month
previous had daintily aired himself in
his spotless white duck suit, while Jake
and Pat, the stevcdore and the ditcher,
invariably "stood afar OFF, watching
the performance. nor lent helping
hand except 'under orders"
The word "rice' is evidently of east
ern origin: Tamil, aytSi; Arabic. aruz;
Latin, orygd; Italian, riso; French, riz.
1t is only second in Importance among
the cereals TO wheat.
Its use by the inhabitants OF China
and India extends rs far back us the
earliest records of either country. A
Chinese classic describes infinitely the
drainage and irrigation works con-
structed by the Emperor Yu on the
Yang-tse-kiang 1926 years ago. 1t was
cultivated in Egypt fully fifty centuries
ago, though not the principal food of
the latter country. Frequent biblical
references to rice are found. Hcrodotus
fully describes it, rs does Pliny in his
treatise upon the food plants of India.
While Gibbon considers that it was cul-
tiyated III Spain at the time of the Ro-
man occupation, it certainly, rs an in
dustry, attained no prominence in Eu-
rope until comparatively modern times,
and it is generally believed to have been
by the Moors into Andalusia
during the eleventh century, and to
have crossed from Spain into Italy about
Il century after.
Rice is now grown in nearly every
portion of the globe lin Japan, Brazil,
Hawaii, America, Italy, Japan. India,
but principally in China and Burmah.
The Burmese crop is nearly nil export
ed, the inhabitants subsisting on some
cheaper food, as millct or dourrha; that
of China is principally consumed ut
home, though good deal finds its way
INTO this country. -Bivouac.